AUSTIN, Texas — For many a veteran angler, the pinnacle of a fishing career comes with the explosion of chromed muscle that signals his first tarpon hook-up. That experience was once common on the Texas Gulf coast; so common, in fact, that through the 1950s, tarpon tournaments were commonplace and presidents and potentates made the journey to the third coast to catch a “silver king.”

Ducks Unlimited was awarded a North American Wetlands Conservation grant to enhance over 5,728 acres of wetland habitat in Chambers and Jefferson counties along the Texas coast. Partners contributed more than $2 million to match the $1 million received from the federal grant. The project will restore high priority wintering habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds within the Chenier Plain of Texas.

Her research includes determining the home range, assessing the health and measuring yearly antler growth of mature mule deer bucks. Global Positioning System radio collars tuned to specific frequencies last about two years. The collars enable Sumner to obtain home range sizes and movement by determining the location of each deer every five hours.

The death of Macho B was very disappointing from any perspective. The wildlife conservation community looked forward to using the data acquired from him to learn more about how jaguars use borderlands habitats and to better inform borderlands conservation efforts.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners today approved a reduction in the recreational and commercial bag limits for southern flounder and set a reduced bag limit for the month of November with take that month limited to hook and line.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today released the first ever comprehensive report on bird populations in the United States, showing that nearly a third of the nation's 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline due to habitat loss,
invasive species, and other threats.